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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28913739">My friend's weakness</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cristy_duck/pseuds/Cristy_duck'>Cristy_duck</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Kinnikuman Nisei | Ultimate Muscle, キン肉マン | Kinnikuman (Manga)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Day Off, Developing Friendships, Enemies to Friends, Friendship, Gen, Hanging Out, Humor, Ice Cream, Side Effects, Spicy Foods</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 09:15:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,744</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28913739</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cristy_duck/pseuds/Cristy_duck</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Kevin asks Mantaro to hang out, he wants to be friends with the Kinniku but ... how will the afternoon turn up? Will Kevin choose the right ice-cream flavours? Or will he not?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kinniku Mantaro &amp; Kevin Mask</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>My friend's weakness</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>«Er … can you hear yourself, right?»</p>
<p>Kevin looked him viciously: «Yes, of course, I’m not deaf, mate.»</p>
<p>«Then why are you asking me to hang out as enemies?» continued Mantaro, looking him confused. Did it really turn out like that? Was Kevin really serious or was he just pretending? But … he was dressed quite casually and didn’t look like he wanted to train, so …</p>
<p>«Isn’t it obvious? I’ve already told you! <em>So</em> we can hang out as enemies … would you want to continue bubbling or do you want to walk?»</p>
<p>Mantaro zipped his luxurious coat: «Mh … ok, I don’t think a day off would kill me.»</p>
<p>Kevin secured his hands in his pockets: «I thought <em>yours</em> were all days off …» and laughed, it had still that hysterical note it had when he was a d.M.p. member. Kevin noted the tension: «By the way … er …» “Great! I knew I should’ve searched how to talk to people … especially aliens …” «How … ehm … how is it going?»</p>
<p>Mantaro frowned, stopping by an ice cream parlour: «<em>What</em> should be going?» he looked the lady «A large with chocolate, raspberries, pistachios and whipped cream on top. Oh, and chocolate chips. How do you want yours, Kevin?» asked, looking briefly his friend who was towering him.</p>
<p>Kevin was caught off guard: «Er … a large with vanilla, watermelon and mango. I don’t need whipped cream or other things. Uh? No, Mantaro, I can p-»</p>
<p>But Mantaro had already paid with his credit card: «Nah, don’t worry, consider it my way of saying thanks for this day … sure, you can have a photo with us!» answered to the lady who was serving. Kevin and Mantaro posed for the photo and then walked away with their ice-creams. Mantaro was studying the way Kevin was eating with his mask on.</p>
<p>Kevin noted the alien eyes, asking: «Is there something wrong?» but then he licked some ice-cream before it melted on his favourite t-shirt.</p>
<p>«I, er … I was wondering how could you eat with your mask on … I mean, you don’t have an opening on your mouth …» “Mh, that was awkward … if he wanted to be friends with me, now he surely won’t-”</p>
<p>«Oh, this? I just got used to it … and my mask is soft in the inside, so I don’t have problems eating …»</p>
<p>Mantaro gnawed his ice-cream: «Mh … I understood.»</p>
<p>«Ehm … is your planet that different from Earth?» “Maybe if I ask something about his homeplace he will be kinder … or maybe I will sound kinder … mh, I still don’t know why I want to be friends with him, though …” – but … it was him or the place started to feel damp? Bah, maybe he was overthinking too much …</p>
<p>«Well, actually Earth is way different from Planet Kinniku. You know, my planet is a rocky planet and we have little plants, only pine trees … and we’re only thirteen million inhabitants. There are just a few cities and not much water … in contrast, we have great astronomical and astrophysical studies!»</p>
<p>«Mh, cool! Maybe, one day, you can show me something!»</p>
<p>«Sure, why not!» Mantaro smiled and finished his ice-cream «By the way, if I’m not too curious … how’s it going with your father?»</p>
<p>Kevin didn’t answer. He had finished his ice-cream too, but for some reason he fell silent and was looking nowhere. Mantaro thought he had upset him, so lifted his hands in a sign of excuses and said: «H-Hey, I’m sorry, man! I didn’t want to upset you! You don’t need to-» but Kevin grabbed him by an arm and ran so to be dead in the water. Mantaro noted Kevin was drenched: «Hey, Kev, you’re ok? If you don’t feel well maybe we should return hom-» but he couldn’t finish his sentence because the Brit was puking in a dumpster. Mantaro remembered that piece of article he read about earthlings’ psychology and its effects on the body, so tried: «I … I couldn’t ever wonder about this reaction on that topic … I’m sorry. I’ll try to never talk ab-»</p>
<p>Kevin lifted his right arm: «It’s … it’s not about my father … ugh … I … I think there was something in the ice-cream …»</p>
<p>Mantaro frowned, twice in a day was like a record for him, since he normally frowned more due to earthlings’ behaviours or traditions: «What do you mean? I feel great! Are you sure-»</p>
<p>«I don’t mean it was poison- ugh!» he doubled over again and puked. Mantaro thought it was a good thing that dead end was hidden in the shadows. He walked near Kevin and massaged his back. «Thanks. I … I feel a bit better now.»</p>
<p>Mantaro made him sit against a wall: «What were you saying before? Are you allergic to something?»</p>
<p>Kevin shook his head: «N-No I … I just can’t handle spicy foods …»</p>
<p>«But there weren’t any in your ice-cream!»</p>
<p>«N-No I … I actually sensed some pepper in the vanilla … maybe they used it to mix the ice-cream … ouh!»</p>
<p>Mantaro kneeled: «I think it’s better if I take you to the doctor … maybe he’ll give you something for your stomach pain …»</p>
<p>Kevin sat, his back sustained by the wall: «No, there’s no need to … I’m sorry … I wanted to hang out with you and the afternoon turned out like this … maybe it’s a sign I didn’t have to take a day off …»</p>
<p>Mantaro smiled, sitting next to him: «Well, it didn’t turn out that bad! We ate an ice-cream, you asked me about my planet, a thing that the other usually never do … and we’re not arguing, so it’s already a great thing!»</p>
<p>«Umpf. You always look at the glass half-full, don’t you? But … I must admit that you’re right … it’s not that awful of an afternoon … though we’re sitting in a stinky dead end hidden in the shadows … and you know what’s funny?»</p>
<p>«What?»</p>
<p>«Your coat is worth almost two thousand pounds and you’re sat here with me in this filthy slum …»</p>
<p>Mantaro smirked: «Look who’s talking! Your boots are a limited edition and are stained with dirt and chewing-gums …»</p>
<p>«Well, at least I bought them with my money …»</p>
<p>Mantaro reclined his head, so his fin could touch the wall: «But I could swear your latest phone was your parents’ gift … and, by the way, the last thing I bought with my money was a book about the stars … you know, they’re the only thing that make me feel at home on this foreign planet … but I do admit that even this afternoon relieved a bit my homesickness …»</p>
<p>«Because I’m a wretch right now? This amuses you, doesn’t it?» Kevin reclined his head too.</p>
<p>Mantaro shook his head again: «No, it’s not that. I like the fact that you, too, have some weaknesses … now I can use this to my advantage!»</p>
<p>«Well, surely you can’t use it on the ring …» he patted Mantaro’s knee «I feel better, I think we can go to my place, uh? Maybe we can finish our afternoon there … we can order something for dinner then, what do you think?»</p>
<p>Mantaro got up: «I think it’s a great idea! If I’m not mistaken, your place isn’t too far away, right?»</p>
<p>Kevin stood up too, placing a hand on his stomach before answering: «You’re right. Let’s go, then, I think we need to freshen up a bit after this … adventure?»</p>
<p>Mantaro crossed his arms behind his head: «You call this thing an adventure? – they started walking to Kevin’s place – Once, Terry and I needed to buy the gifts for our mothers since it was mother’s day and we ended up travelling half of Japan just to find a special type of rose that grew only in the Tohuku district …and we had to take a train because there were no flights left … and when we arrived was pouring cats and dogs, so … let’s say that, after that, Meat decided not to let us alone again …» he scoffed, remembering how his mother smiled tenderly when he told her that story.</p>
<p>«You two did that? Seriously? I usually call my mother on mother’s day … that’s all … then when I return home – and that’s rarely – I bring her a present …» Kevin looked briefly the prince, who was looking him in a sign of listening «And … for answering your precedent question … it’s going a bit better with Daddy … he sometimes oversees my training, now … oh and … after I won the Olympics and returned home, he … he apologised for what he had done … I think that probably this is thanks to you, you know?»</p>
<p>Mantaro blushed: «O-Oh, do you think so? B-By the way, I’m happy your relationship has improved … you don’t know how much I’d like to have my dad oversee my training sometimes … but he’s just so busy …»</p>
<p>Kevin strangely felt sorry for Mantaro: «Don’t worry, mate, I think he wants that too … anyway, we’re here.» Kevin’s place was a luxurious apartment in one’s of Shibuya’s most glamourous apartment complex. The peculiarity? The exterior was  curved. «My flat is on ground nine.» and then they waited for the lift. Then they arrived at home, at last. «Do as you please. – Kevin took off his coat and grabbed Mantaro’s so to hang them up on the coat rack – If you want to freshen up, bathroom is near the kitchen, third door.» but he saw how Mantaro was <em>studying</em> is home «Is there something wrong?»</p>
<p>Mantaro seemed absent, then answered: «Oh, no, nothing. I was just looking at how well your home is furnished. Did you do it?»</p>
<p>Kevin blushed heavily under his mask: «A-Ah, yes! I … I’ve always had a soft spot for interior design … though my father wouldn’t like it, probably …»</p>
<p>Mantaro smiled: «Nah, I think he’ll approve it … I’ll go wash my hands, then.» and disappeared in the bathroom. Kevin prepared a tea. «Are you sure it’s ok for you to have dinner with me? I mean …»</p>
<p>«It’s ok, I have to repay you in some way … you paid me an ice-cream … although I chose the wrong flavours … what shall we order?»</p>
<p>«How about fried fish?»</p>
<p>«But I thought-»</p>
<p>«I don’t live on cow and rice only … plus, it’s your favourite, so it’s not going to kill you, right?» and smiled brightly, making his eyes shine.</p>
<p>Kevin nodded: «You’re right.» and then asked: «Would you mind teaching me something about the stars, after dinner?»</p>
<p>Mantaro smiled brightly again, he didn’t expect that question: «I’d love to.»</p>
<p>Maybe they just became friends. They both knew they’d loved to.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So, I'm happy that's finally my first 2021 story! I hope you liked it!<br/>The first three lines were inspired by one of Moni's works on Twitter ... thanks to Nikolai_Knight to have made me discover her!<br/>By the way, I'll update Aquarius as well ... stay tuned!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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